In private, as well as commercial sectors, there exists a well known need to use for a limited time, without actually purchasing, certain equipment. Such a need is typically serviced by companies that purchase the sought equipment with the intent to rent or charter such equipment to various users.
Representative equipment may include passenger vehicles, as well as earthmoving and construction equipment. In certain instances, a user of the rented equipment is required to pick-up and drop-off the equipment at a prescribed location. In certain other instances, the rental company may deliver the rented equipment to its customer's or user's job site, and collect/remove the equipment at some point after the authorized use is finished.
In a case of rental of larger construction equipment, such as excavators and loaders, the rental company often delivers the equipment a day or two prior to actual use by the customer, and may also remove the equipment a few days after the customer use is complete. Commonly, within the intervening timeframe, between the end of use and actual removal, the rental company has no direct control of the equipment. As a result, the rented equipment may be available for exploitation beyond the duration of authorized use, and, if the equipment registers additional operating hours, disputes between the renter and the owner may arise.